It is the latest in a series of sensational actions: climate protection activists have daubed a monument not far from the Bundestag. The group “Last Generation” confirmed that several of their supporters had “soaked the glass sculpture “Basic Law 49” in front of the Jakob Kaiser House “in oil”.
A spokesman for the Berlin police said that the memorial had been daubed or poured over – with what is not yet clear. The police sent samples of the liquid for analysis. The activists also stuck posters on the glass surfaces of the memorial, including the words “Oil or fundamental rights?”
An activist putting up posters during the protest.
(Photo: Christian Mang/REUTERS)
According to the spokesman, the police were alerted in the morning and the operation lasted until noon. Emergency services met six activists at the glass sculpture, whose personal details were recorded. All received a place reference, as a police spokesman said. Various criminal investigations were initiated, including for damage to property and violation of the Freedom of Assembly Act.
Photos and a video published on Twitter of the demonstrators can be seen pouring a dark liquid from buckets onto the glass walls of the monument.
It is still unclear which liquid the most active poured out. Petroleum should be symbolized.
(Photo: Christian Mang/REUTERS)
The protest by the climate protection activists was directed against the federal government: “The government has a constitutional obligation to protect our livelihoods and freedom. The government is not fulfilling its obligation.”
Criticism of the action comes from federal politics: “They have shown for a long time that the climate activists don’t believe in law and order,” said the domestic policy spokesman for the Union faction in the Bundestag, Alexander Throm (CDU). “Now they have also made it clear that they disregard our Basic Law. The federal government must finally act here and tighten the penalties for these crimes.”
Harsh criticism of “Last Generation” across party lines
The parliamentary manager of the SPD parliamentary group, Katja Mast, announced on Twitter that the action was unworthy. “Celebrating for it tramples on our values. I have absolutely no understanding for that.”
Even sharper tones came from the deputy chairman of the FDP parliamentary group, Konstantin Kuhle. He said: “If this rate of radicalization continues, the ‘last generation’ will sooner or later have to be observed by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.” The climate movement as a whole must distance itself “from such extremist tendencies”. After all, the attack on the statue of the Basic Law shows “open contempt for the institutions”.
SPD MP Michael Roth, chairman of the Bundestag’s Foreign Affairs Committee, even compared the activists to the Taliban and condemned the protest as a “cheap, undignified action”.
Green MP Konstantin von Notz described the operation on Twitter as “shit action“.
The glass sculpture “Basic Law 49” on the Spree promenade includes 19 panes of glass, each around three meters high. The 19 fundamental rights articles of the Basic Law are laser-engraved into it.
The work “Basic Law 49” by the Israeli artist Dani Karavan with the 19 articles of fundamental rights after the action on Saturday – pasted and smeared.
(Photo: Jörg Carstensen/dpa)
The “Last Generation” group was formed after a climate hunger strike in Berlin and is calling for more measures to protect the climate. In February, climate protection demonstrators from the group felled a smaller tree in front of the Chancellery in Berlin.
Since the beginning of 2022, members have repeatedly blocked freeway exits and other roads in many cities, which has not only drawn great attention to their political causes, but also led to a heated public debate about protest culture.